Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 51525 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 258(@200wpm)___ 206(@250wpm)___ 172(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51525 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 258(@200wpm)___ 206(@250wpm)___ 172(@300wpm)
I might not understand them, but they are a piece of Gabe, and I want her to know all of him. I want her to be able to ask them any question she might have. I want her to know how her dad grew up, and I want her to understand how much she would have meant to him. For now though, the most important thing is protecting her from anyone who would cause her harm, even if it is just emotionally. And what they wanted to do would have caused her as much pain as it caused me.
“Baby.” I come out of my head at Denver’s voice, tip my head back, and focus on his handsome face. “Lyra’s out. Wanna wake her, or just take her up and tuck her into bed?”
My eyes go to Ly and I see he’s right. She’s out, with her hand curled under her cheek on Denver’s chest.
“Just bed,” I murmur, and he nods, dropping his mouth to mine for a quick kiss before he moves, adjusting Ly in his arms, and stands. I follow him up the stairs then carefully change Ly out of her clothes, into a nightgown, and tuck her in. She doesn’t stir; then again, she’s always been a heavy sleeper. I kiss her forehead then stand back to watch Denver tuck her blankets tighter around her and smooth her hair back from her forehead, studying her for a long moment before he turns out her lamp. I make sure her nightlight is on then leave the room.
When we hit the bedroom on the first floor, I don’t hesitate, stripping out of my clothes and climbing into bed. I lie back with my head on my pillow and stare at the ceiling while he crawls in next to me, and then sigh when he pulls me against his hard frame.
“You okay?”
“I know I should be more freaked than I am, but surprisingly, I’m all right,” I answer, lifting up to look into his eyes as he rests back against the headboard.
“You know she’s safe.”
“Yeah,” I whisper. “She’s safe.”
“She’ll stay that way, Bre. I promise you that.”
“I know.” I start to rest my head against his chest, but he doesn’t let me.
His hand wraps into my hair, keeping my gaze prisoner. “I’d never let anything happen to either of you.”
My body melts against his as I stare at his handsome face and beautiful eyes. God, I love him, and I know without a doubt that he would do anything for me and Ly. He would protect us from anyone and anything.
“Bre?”
“Give me a minute,” I whisper wanting to soak in this moment, wanting to memorize this feeling.
He doesn’t give me a minute. He pulls my mouth to his then rolls me to my back, kissing me until I’m breathless.
“I love you,” he says quietly, tracing my brow with his finger.
“I know,” I reply, just as softly.
“You don’t, you have no idea how much I love you, how much you mean to me.”
I don’t get the chance to reply. I don’t get the chance to tell him I know how much he loves me because I feel his love deep in inside me, filling me up with life and giving me everything I ever needed. He cuts off my words when his mouth covers mine then steals my breath when he slides into me. When we both become connected in everyway possible, I whisper “I love you” against his lips and pray he knows I love him just as much as he loves me.
That he knows my heart has always been his.
Ours is the kind of love that has been spoken about and searched for throughout time, a love so sought after that it’s been written into the stars.
Epilogue
_______________
Bre
Six months later
“ARE YOU READY FOR THIS?”
At my dad’s question, I look up at his handsome face and smile. “Yes.”
“Then let’s go, gorgeous.” He tucks my hand into the crook of his arm and I pull in a breath.
I watch the double doors open in front of me, and then I smile at Ly when she grins at me over her shoulder. She looks adorable in her baby blue princess dress, with a rope of flowers around her head and ribbons running down through her hair.
“Is it time, Mama?”
“Yes,” I whisper.
“Finally.” She giggles, walking out the doors and tossing out flower petals as she goes.
I pull my eyes from my baby and they land on Denver at the end of the aisle. He looks handsome in his suit, his hands casually at his sides and his expression soft on our girl as she heads his way. I fight the urge to cry as Lyra makes it to him calling him daddy and he picks her up, giving her a kiss. “Dad, can someone be too happy?”